CREW Flint Pen Strand - Lakes

The lakes before you at one time were empty borrow pits left over from illegal gravel mining operations. Today they are full of water for most of the year and teeming with life above and below the surface. They are evidence that nature often finds a way to recover when given the opportunity.

The lands that today make up CREW Flint Pen Strand were acquitted by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) in the late 1990s and throughout the early 2000s. Between 2016-2018, the SFWMD undertook a multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration effort to restore and improve the hydrology and ecology of these CREW lands without adversely impacting communities outside of CREW or impacting the amount of stormwater runoff entering to the adjacent Imperial River. Just as importantly, this restoration effort was intended to improve habitats for native flora and fauna.

As you look out at these lakes, you are likely to spot many different species of wading birds, including egrets, Ibis, and many species of heron. Alligators can also sometimes be seen basking in the sun along the shores. Many fish species, including largemouth bass, redear sunfish, bluegill and the common snook, ply the waters below the surface. You might even spot an otter hunting its next meal.